Category: Biodegradation & Composting
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Role of Bioplastics in Sustainable Packaging
Video panel discussion with industry experts on bioplastics.
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Buying Biodegradable Products is a Waste of Time says MP
Buying biodegradable products in Singapore is a waste of your time said a member of Parliament.
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First Biodegradable PET Bottle
Company claims their PET bottle is biodegradable and recyclable. It should be the first one I think.
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Industrial Composting of PLA Caps
A field study on the industrial compostability of PLA coffee capsules.
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Plastic Company Builds Own Biodegradation Test System
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Impact of Compostable Plastics on Compost and Soil
Are compostable plastics good for the quality of the compost and soil?
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The Rational Behind the Chemical Recycling of Compostable Plastics
Why are they pushing to prove the chemical recyclability of compostable plastics?
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European Bioplastics Shares Study on Quality Bioplastic Compost
The Witzenhausen Institute and the University of Bayreuth conducted a very interesting study, analysing the compost of several German industrial composting facilities for possible plastic content deriving from compostable biowaste bags.
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OXO Biodegradable Vs Compostable Plastics
Let’s look at the similarities and differences between OXO biodegradable (Oxo-bio) and compostable plastics.
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Study Claims Compostable Plastic is Microplastics Source
Persistence in soil of microplastic films from ultra-thin compostable plastic bags and implications on soil Aspergillus flavus population.
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Most Advanced Technology to Measure Biodegradation of Plastic Polymer Material
Who is the leader when it comes to measuring the biodegradation of plastics?
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What Happens to Bioplastics at Industrial Composting Sites?
What happens to compostable plastics at an industrial composting plant? You want the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth … including the pictures and videos? The article of the year brought to you by BioplasticsNews.com
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MIT University Unlocking the Secrets of Plastic-Eaters
Graduate student Linda Zhong and professor of biology Anthony Sinskey are studying the plastic-devouring enzyme PETase as a way to improve recycling.
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What Happens to Compostable Plastics in Belgium?
I wanted to understand what happened to compostable plastics in Belgium and was a bit surprised with what I found out!
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Large Scale Test for Compostable Plastics in London
As foodservice shifts to more disposables for hygiene, a new composting partnership offers a sustainable waste management solution for businesses in London, Brighton, and Sussex.
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Compostable Plastics, Advantages and Disadvantages
Here’s a short video on the advantages and disadvantages of Compostable Plastics made by Axel Barrett, Chief Editor of Bioplastics News.
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Degradable Plastics in China
Deliverymen stand among plastic packages and boxes sealed with tape on sidewalks as they call residents to fetch their goods. Parcels and takeout food in plastic bags and containers pile up on shelves outside residential blocks.
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Compostable Plastic Film Not so Sustainable
Ever wondered why your print copy of Physics World is still delivered wrapped in plastic?
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Compostable is not Always a Green Panacea
Next to empty shelves where toilet paper used to be is a stretch of aisle stacked with trash bags, disposable cups, and cutlery at a Whole Foods in Seattle.
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Molecular Weight Reduction is Biodegradation Criteria
The environmental accumulation of plastics worldwide is a consequence of the durability of the material. Alternative polymers, marketed as biodegradable, present a potential solution to mitigate their ecological damage.
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Mutant Enzyme Recycles Plastic Bottles in Hours
Scientists create mutant enzyme that recycles plastic bottles in hours. Bacterial enzyme originally found in compost can be used to make high-quality new bottles.
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Daily Mail Covers New Bioplastic
Researchers develop a new kind of plastic from cassava starch and wood pulp that is twice as strong and can be broken down in ocean water in as little as 30 days.
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CNN Covers Plastic Eating Bacteria
Plastic products made with polyurethane, a synthetic chemical compound, typically end up buried in a landfill.
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How to Start Composting
In the era of Covid-19, we’ve had to move away from bring-your-own containers and reusable coffee cups – composting can help ease the burden
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Microbe Degrades Polyurethane
A strain of an extremophile group of bacteria is capable of ingesting toxic organic compounds as its sole source of carbon, nitrogen and energy.
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Elle Canada Not in Favour of PLA
How to Properly Recycle Beauty Product Packaging? Chances are you’re going through a lot of soap and hand lotion right now.
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Bioplastics by an Outsider
Plastics produced from living species such as plants or microbes rather than from fossil fuels are not necessarily biodegradable.
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Mandatory Composting in New York
A proposal would make organic waste recycling available to all, then eventually require it. Critics say it would be expensive.
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UK MP Survey on Compostable Packaging
A survey of MPs from all the main Westminster parties found overwhelming support for a switch to more environmentally friendly packaging.
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The Truth About Bioplastic
If you’re not the type to bring a reusable bag to the store, bioplastics have become an increasingly attractive alternative to the plastic that is slowly strangling the oceans, rivers, municipalities, and the very sediment record of Earth itself.
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Plastic-Eating Caterpillars
The tiny waxworm went from zero to hero in 2017 when researchers discovered the caterpillar could potentially help solve one of the world’s most pressing environmental problems: plastic waste.
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Compostable Plastics Are Not Circular
De Monitor (episode 10/02) about compostable packaging and disposables, has given the discussion about circularity some new oxygen. Jelmer Vierstra, Senior Program Leader Circular Economy at Nature & Environment believes compostable plastics are not circular and compostability standards are irrelevant.
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NL Composting Industry Does Not Want Compostable Plastics
Dutch Waste Management Industry: we don’t want packaging in the bio-waste stream, even if they are compostable.
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Documentary That Killed Compostable Plastics in the Netherlands
Here’s the translation of the most important fragments of the Dutch documentary “De Monitor” that killed compostable plastics in the Netherlands.
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Wageningen University Gives Opinion on Compostable Plastics
Wageningen Food & Biobased Research has studied how compostable plastics behave in the current Dutch system for the treatment of GFT (i.e. source separated municipal biowaste).
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Biodegradable Polymers in Various Environments
The biodegradability of plastics derived from these biodegradable polymers can only be guaranteed if all additives and (organic) fillers are biodegradable, too.
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The Composting Fairy Tale
Dutch TV program “De Monitor” makes an inquiry into compostable bioplastics. What they discover is groundbreaking! They reveal the truth behind compostable bioplastics.
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French Composting Startups
Video documentary on a French Composting Startup called “Les Alchimistes”.
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Plastic-Eating Enzyme Alleged to be a Scam
A formula developed by a South African scientist, billed as an eco solution to plastic waste, pests and livestock nutrition, has been challenged by former business partners to be ‘fraudulent’ after forensic tests. The solution has been trialed in three countries in the region.
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The Misunderstanding of Compostability
The concept of compostable disposal is a misunderstood one — the common misconception being any bio-based product will decompose under any circumstance.
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Novozymes and Carbios Partner on Industrial Scale PET Degrading Enzymes
The global agreement is an exclusive partnership for scaling up and producing PET-degrading enzymes. The JDA leads way toward circular economy.
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Open Letter from Compostable Lobby Groups and Stakeholders
MPs and academics lend their support to ambitious targets for moving away from conventional plastics towards compostable alternatives.
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Composting Diapers in France
We knew about composting plants and food. Here is a new kind of composting. 3.5 billion baby diapers are thrown away every year in France, mountains of non-recyclable waste.
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Degraded Land Blooms Thanks to European Composting Project
Agriculture is an important part of the economic and social fabric of Spain and Portugal. But decades of mining and large-scale farming have left parts of the countryside in poor condition.
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Is Plastic Biodegradable? Myths and Facts on Biodegradable Plastic
Plastic, in the form of bottles, bags, packaging materials, furniture and more, has become an integral part of our present-day lives.
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Biodegradable Plastic Isn’t Compostable or Recyclable
The planet really can’t catch a break, can it? Turns out that oh-so trendy biodegradable plastic meant to save human kind from drowning under a mountain of water bottles and takeout containers actually can’t go in your compost. Or your recycling bin.
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Compostable Plastic? Not So Much, Says Los Angeles Times
Most people know by now that the disposable plastic used for take-out food is an environmental hazard. Containers, cups, utensils, straws — very little of it gets recycled and very much of it ends up polluting the oceans, lakes and rivers of the world.
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Rapid Biodegradability of Walki Bioska Films
It’s a proven fact: the biodegradability of Walki’s Bioska films are among the fastest on the market.
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Compostable Products Have A Role
In October, Greenpeace released a report entitled, “Throwing Away the Future: How Companies Still Have it Wrong on Plastic Solutions”.
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Biodegradable Packaging Creates More Waste Than Non-recyclable Pouches Says Huel Founder
If you’re annoyed at not being able to recycle your Huel pouch, it’s a deliberate design choice made by the meal-replacement company after it discovered that biodegradable packaging actually creates more waste, founder Julian Hearn said.
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Carbios Goes on Television
Carbios’ biodegradable technology covered by French TV programme “L’Info du Vrai” on Canal Plus.
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Technological Remedies to Plastic Waste in the Mediterranean are Themselves Risky
Marine environments are the most commonly affected by dumping and, with a projected 2 billion tonnes of plastic being produced by 2050, the exact amount that might reach the oceans is not known.
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Revolutionary Technology Breaks Plastic Into Liquid Oil
When Kenneth Poeppelmeier opened the reactor vessel in his lab and saw liquid, he said it was a real “eureka moment”.
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Recycling, Bioplastics Also Harm Planet, Campaigners warn
Environmental campaigners are warning that bioplastics and recyclable packaging will not solve the world’s plastics pollution crisis – following a pledge by consumer goods giant Unilever to halve its use of virgin plastics.
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Confusion over Compostability of Cartons and SUP Directive on Coated Cartonboard
Manufacturers in the carton industry are concerned that confusion remains over the compostability of cartons, MOSH (Mineral Oil Saturated Hydrocarbons) and MOAH (Mineral Oil Aromatic Hydrocarbons) and the SUP (Single-Use Plastics) directive on coated cartonboard, says ECMA (European Carton Manufacturers Association).
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Can Bioplastics Save Us From Drowning In Our Own Waste?
Alternatives like paper, cloth, biodegradable plastics, glass, etc have relative merits and no single alternative can be the solution to what is essentially a crisis caused by human behaviour.
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New Hanover, Biodegradable Packaging and PFAS
Biodegradable food packaging seems to offer the best of all worlds — convenience and an environmentally friendly waste product. However, recent studies have shown that compostable food containers, as well as paper plates and fast-food containers, often contain short-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, to repel water and grease.
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Why is Clarification Needed on Bioplastic Recycling?
Regarding FEAD’s (European Federation of Waste Management and Environmental Services) latest position paper Biodegradable and Bio-Based Plastics, European Bioplastics (EUBP) believes that FEAD displays an incomplete perception on how a circular economy can be achieved.
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UK Government Moves to End Vague and Misleading Bioplastic Terminology
The UK government has called for experts to help it develop standards for bioplastics and biodegradable plastics, amid rising concern over greenwashing.
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Fight Between Trade Bodies Over Biodegradables
The bioplastics industry has accused Europe’s waste management companies of raising concerns about biodegradable and compostable plastics based on “vague notions”.
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Total CEO Questioned by French MPs Regarding Bioplastics
Total CEO, Patrick Pouyanné, was questioned by French MPs in the Economic Affairs Committee on September 17. He had to answer questions on the biodegradation and his ambition on bioplastics.
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Goupie Switches From Recyclable Plastic to Compostable Bags
Goupie chewy chocolate, has swapped its recyclable plastic packaging to a compostable alternative, working with its supplier to come up with a design, which shows the consumer how to dispose of it correctly.
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European Bioplastics Believes FEAD is Anti-Bioplastics
FEAD Position Ignores Role of Compostable Plastics in Achieving Circular Economy.
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FEAD Shoots First Bullet at Bioplastics Industry
FEAD is the representative body of the private waste management and resource industry in the European Union. In this capacity, FEAD has produced a short guide explaining the impact biodegradable and bio-based plastics have on waste.
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Biodegradable Plastic Alternatives Not Necessarily Better for Singapore, Say Experts
You might think that switching from single-use plastics to biodegradable plastic alternatives is good for the environment but in Singapore, there are “no effective differences”, experts said.
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Biodegradable Plastic: A False Promise?
Biodegradable packaging is often pitched as the environmentally-friendly solution the world has been waiting for. However, so-called greener plastics don’t necessarily break down as easily as marketers would have us believe.
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SIBS Biodegradable PVC Bank Cards
Payment solutions provider SIBS has launched new biodegradable PVC bank cards as a sustainable alternative to conventional cards.
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Lenzing Fibers Certified as Fully Biodegradable in Water, Soil and Compost
Viscose, Modal and Lyocell fibers certified by the independent research laboratory Organic Waste Systems.
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Exclusive Video of Marine Biodegradation of Novamont Bioplastics
Enjoy the video. Fresh from the press.
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Switching to Biobased Plastics: Why So Slow?
Global awareness of climate change and pollution is increasing, but finding ways to halt our dependence on fossil fuels and plastics is proving extremely difficult.
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Kaneka Wins Japan Bioindustry Award 2019 for Seawater Biodegradable Bioplastics
The poly-hexanoate-butyrate (PHBH) copolymer is produced by Kaneka from plant oil using a recombinant strain of Cupriavidus necator at a capacity of currently 1,000 tons, with plans to increase production to 5,000 and later to 100,000 tons a year.
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How To Increase Composting in Australia
With all the recent discussion about plastic exports, it’s easy to forget that organics remains our single largest recycling opportunity, writes Rose Read CEO of the National Waste Recycling Industry Council (NWRIC).
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FMCG Should Stop Using Vague Environmental Terms like Biodegradable
Materials are often described as reusable, recyclable, biodegradable or compostable. To the untrained ear these can sound relatively similar, even though they mean different things.
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These Corals Choose to Eat Plastic Over Food
Tiny plastic particles may also be a vehicle for microbes that sicken or even kill corals, a new study finds.
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Nestlé To Use Biodegradable Security Tags on Transport Fleet
Multinational launches latest initiative to tackle single-use plastic consumption
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The Truth About Biodegradable Plastic Dog Poop Bags
Banning single-use plastic bags is a hot topic these days, with plastic bags being banned in 68 countries worldwide. Many cities in Canada are joining the fight on single-use plastics, due to their detrimental effects on the environment. Even still, plastic bags remain the primary method of dog poop removal for lots of dog owners.
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UK Government Asks Input From the Bioplastics Industry
UK Government seeks evidence to help develop standards for biodegradable, compostable and bio-based plastics, and an understanding of their environmental impacts.
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Mushrooms that Eat Plastics
Didi you know that in 2016 a Mushroom that eats plastics was discovered?
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Committee on Climate Change Asks Ban on Biodegradable Waste to Landfill
The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) says the UK should bring forward a ban on biodegradable waste to landfill to 2025 after a new report published by the Committee revealed the UK to be ‘lagging far behind’ on efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions, a recommendation that has split opinion within the waste industry.
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The Guardian Writes About Bioplastics
Finding solutions to prevent harmful plastic waste is far from simple.
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Australian Lawsuit on Biodegradability and Compostability Claim
Woolworths has seen off a legal challenge from the consumer watchdog after a federal court judge found that a range of biodegradable plates and cutlery could turn into useable compost within weeks.
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Novamont Bioplastics is Marine Biodegradable
Novamont held a press conference on July 2nd to demonstrate that their main bioplastics brand, Mater-Bi, is biodegradable in marine environment.
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What About Biodegradable Metals?
Millions of patients all over the world undergo surgical procedures related to bone defect repair every year. With an ever-increasing life expectancy and the issues that come with a decaying skeleton, the number of interventions can only increase in the coming years. This is why orthopaedic surgeons are constantly looking for improved medical implants for…
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Bioplastics Could Solve a Major Pollution Problem
Advanced solvents and enzymes are transforming woody wastes into better biodegradable plastics.
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Questions and Answers on OXO-Biodegradability
Exclusive Interview with Michael Stephen, Chairman of the Oxo-biodegradable Plastics Association.
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The Marine Biodegradability Of Mater-bi
On July 2nd, the press conference “The marine biodegradability of Mater-Bi – A mitigation factor, not a permit for irresponsible behaviour” will be held in Rome at the Ara Pacis Auditorium. Discover more and follow the live streaming.
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The Superpowers Of Marine Fungi
Though they aren’t as charismatic as a red and white fly agaric mushroom, marine fungi perform important and unique ecosystem functions. Scientists have found marine fungi in diverse environments from coral reefs to marine sediments at the bottom of the ocean.
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FKuR: Heading for a Circular Economy and Sustainability with Biobased and Biodegradable Plastics
With their unique combination of light weight, versatility, performance, durability and cost- effectiveness plastics have made a significant contribution to better living conditions, more sustainable products and waste prevention for decades.
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Bioplastics and Circularity: Why can’t We Be friends?
The future of plastics isn’t what it used to be. The invention of plastics in the early twentieth century promised to change the world. It did and then some. The pliable, convenient material’s near-exponential growth has enabled modern life, but its lack of designed-in end-of-life considerations has created a global waste crisis.
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Let’s End Styrofoam: Ohana Enters Biodegradable Cooler Market
Yes, there’s a time and place for the disposable cooler. But now there’s no excuse for that cooler to be Styrofoam. With the Ohana Cooler, Vericool joins the ranks of biodegradable, post-consumer-recycled, disposable coolers that cost just a few dollars each.
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THC BioMed Orders Biodegradable Filters for its Automated Pre-Rolls
THC BioMed is pleased to announce that has placed an order for biodegradable filters for its automated pre-rolls.
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Biodegradable Plastic Will Not Break Down in Compost Says UCL Scientists
Plastic packaging labelled “biodegradable” or “compostable” is misleading because most does not break down naturally and ends up polluting the environment, scientists have said.
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Compostables Study Misleading According to BBIA
The Bio Based and Biodegradable Industries Association (BBIA) has responded to the growing concerns surrounding compostable packaging.
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A Biodegradable Label Doesn’t Make It So
At the third Scientific American “Science Meets Congress” event, “Solving the Plastic Waste Problem”, experts examined the question of biodegradability. Podcast of the New York Times.
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Canadians Invent Biodegradable Shoes Made From Plants
Instead of tossing these in the trash when you wear them through, drop them in your compost bin, where they’ll naturally decompose (yes, the soles too).
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Green Science Alliance Obtains Certificate From Japanese Bioplastics Association
Nano Cellulose, Cellulose nanofiber (CNF) is derived from natural biomass resources such as trees and plants so that it is recyclable and biodegradable. Because its raw material is an abundant natural resource, it is obtainable at low cost. Therefore, nano cellulose is an excellent green, next-generation biomaterial.
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Groundbreaking Technology for the Measurement of Bioplastic Degradation in the Environment
Who is the Market Leader in the Development of User-Friendly Technology for the Measurement of Bioplastic Degradation?
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Compostable Food Containers May be Leaching PFAS
Composting and compostable food packaging have become an environmentally friendly trend that aids in reducing waste that would eventually go to a landfill or be incinerated, but it may not be all that it’s cut out to be, according to new research.
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